


Futile Obsession

by Blueskydancers



Series: Secrets and Consequences [5]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-22
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 16:11:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3215369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueskydancers/pseuds/Blueskydancers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sean becomes obsessed with finding out who pulled off a successful bullion robbery, unfortunately there are consequences and others get caught in the crossfire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in August - October 1981
> 
> This was the idea and story that started this whole series off!

**August 1981**  
“Okay, Sean, get your team out to Heathrow now. Find out what you can and report back your ideas of who you think might be in the frame. This is high profile because of the amount of money involved and guards getting hurt. The fucking press are going to be all over us…”

Detective Inspector Sean Bean loosened the collar of his wrinkled shirt and listened with half an ear to his guv’nor’s continuing tirade. Sean had learned a long time ago that once Detective Chief Inspector Griffiths was in full flow there was no point trying to interrupt. He would run out of steam eventually, probably faster than usual as it was the Friday before the August Bank Holiday Monday and he wanted to go home early.

“… I’ve already had a call from the Commissioner wanting to know what we’re doing about these scroats. Who in their right mind would pour petrol over the security guards and threaten to set light to them if they don’t co-operate?”

“Well –” Sean said before being interrupted again.

Griffiths held up his hand, “I know what you’re going to say, ten million in gold is a big incentive, even if I cannot imagine how they think they’re going to fence that amount of bullion without word getting round. Just get out there and find the bastards.

“Right, guv.” Sean kept his reply short, any more and he would start Griffiths off again.

“Oh and Sean?”

He turned to face Griffiths who had taken out a handkerchief and was mopping his face, “Yes, guv?”

“The Commissioner has personally authorised any overtime needed to get this one wrapped up.” With that Griffiths swept out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him.

Sean looked across the two desks separating him from his team’s skipper; the younger man was deep in thought. Detective Sergeant Orlando Bloom had been working with him for just over a year and despite a rocky start, when, Sean admitted, he had been unfairly influenced by the newly arrived sergeant’s looks, Bloom had proved more than once that he was a good copper. “Whatcha thinking, Lando?”

Bloom looked down at the scribbled report Griffiths had thrown onto the desk. “I think whoever organised this had someone with muscle and finance behind them. They also had good information. Apparently the gold had only been in the building for two hours when they were hit and it was due to be moved out again by late this afternoon.” Sean could tell that he was thinking aloud trying to come up with a scenario that fitted.

Sean nodded, he had no other ideas for now. “My feelings exactly. I reckon this is an inside job. So we need to find a weak link and keep piling on the pressure until someone cracks.”

Bloom grimaced. “Bollocks! This is going to wreck my bloody weekend for sure.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean tried to ignore the sweat trickling down his back. It was roasting inside the car, even with the windows open. The heat haze reflected back off the tarmac causing the road to appear to shimmer, like a desert mirage. 

To top it all, they were barely moving; the world and his wife were on their way out of London for the holiday weekend and they were gridlocked. Sean closed his eyes against the brightness of the sun and groaned, he had plans for the weekend that involved large quantities of beer and getting laid; now those plans had turned to shit in the space of half an hour. When he caught up with the toe rags who’d pulled off this little stunt he was going to kick their bollocks so hard they’d be singing falsetto for the rest of their lives. 

A movement in the back of the car caught his attention and he glanced back, Lando was suffering from the heat too, pulling hopelessly at his shirt, which was sticking to his chest, his dark hair had curled in the heat and was plastered to his forehead. 

Sean allowed himself a moment to reflect on the lithe body he knew was hidden underneath the shirt. He’d accepted, a long time ago, that he swung both ways but it had only been three months earlier, that he’d discovered Lando also fancied blokes. Since then, despite the danger to their jobs if they were discovered, they’d had the perfect arrangement, fucking each other blind with no strings attached. 

He looked out the window, they’d only moved fifty yards in the past fifteen minutes, “Fuck it, I’m going to be drawing my pension before we get there at this rate. Put the siren on, Dave, and get a bloody move on.” Sean told his driver.

“Yes, guv.” Dave grinned.

Sean ignored the snort of laughter from the back of the car. Lando knew all about his lack of patience.

Less than fifteen minutes later they were driving past the local uniform on gate duty and into the yard of Howard Securities. There was a scurry of activity, coppers trying to look as though they had something specific to do and white suited forensic scientists collecting samples of what looked to Sean like debris from the ground.

“Shit.” Sean muttered. The SOCOS weren’t going to get anything useful here, the sheer number of bodies trampling around would see to that.

He turned to Lando deliberately thickening his Yorkshire accent, “I’m going to have a look around inside, mebbe play th’thick northerner in case any of them here don’t know me. But I don’t think we’ll find anything, too many plods have been wandering about. We’re gonna need a chat with the guards who were here when the robbery took place.”

Lando nodded and fished his notebook out of his pocket, “Right, guv, I’ll ask around and see if I can find out where they were taken.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean thanked the warehouse owner and walked away. As he had suspected he hadn’t gained anything new from their talk. The man hadn’t been there when the gang struck. Probably just as well as he would have been the one doused in petrol and threatened with a lighted match until he opened the vault. 

At the back of his mind a question was forming, something about this whole deal was niggling him.

He walked back outside and was temporarily blinded by the late afternoon sun; it hadn’t cooled down any either. He wanted to talk to the guards. Looking around he spotted Dave leaning against the car, sharing a fag with someone. Lando was across the other side of the yard, talking to a young uniformed copper. His DS was smiling encouragingly, nodding agreement with whatever the kid was saying. 

Suddenly, as though he was aware of Sean’s scrutiny, Lando looked up, meeting his eye. He lifted a hand in acknowledgement and exchanged a few more words with the kid before shutting his notebook and walking over. Judging by the expression on his face, Lando thought he had something interesting to report.

“Whatcha got?”

“Not sure, guv. Joe there was on a local patrol and heard the alarm so he was one of the first on the scene. He got to talk to one of the security guards before they got hauled off – they’re in Hounslow General by the way – so, Joe tells me that the guard was confused, kept asking why he wasn’t getting treatment already for the petrol in his eyes. He kept claiming that he’d heard sirens and he knew that the medics were there. At the time Joe just thought the guard was getting mixed up because he was in pain and scared but I think there might be something to it.”

Sean nodded, that was what had been bugging him for the past half hour. How the hell had the crooks got away from the warehouse in the holiday traffic? They couldn’t just leave it to chance that they’d get clear before someone raised the alarm. “Right; you know what? It sounds to me like they used ambulances or something that looked like our vans to shift the gold. With the sirens blaring they’d have sailed through the traffic. We saw that on our way over. We need to get back to the office and get searching for reports of missing vehicles.”

Sean waited before he waved Dave over, “Looks like our trip to the pub tonight is off then.” He kept his voice low so that only Lando would hear him.

The younger man nodded, looking around at the scenes of chaos, “Yep, seems like it. No big deal though we can do it again, some other time.” 

He said it offhandedly and Sean was surprised when he felt something twist in his gut. He rubbed his stomach thoughtfully; he’d probably eaten something that disagreed with him for lunch.


	2. Chapter 2

Sean rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock. Eight o’clock already, where the fuck had the day gone? It was six days since the raid on the Heathrow warehouse with no sign of any arrests. The pressure from the powers-that-be, not to mention the fucking press had built until he felt he was suffocating. 

He’d done everything he could think of, leant on everyone working for Howard Securities who might have been dirty, followed every lead that had turned up and got nowhere. Fucking nowhere! He didn’t remember another job that had so effectively silenced the grasses. Normally he could rely on someone to shoot their mouths off. 

A hand holding a mug of black coffee appeared in his peripheral vision and a moment later it clunked down on his desk. “You look like you could use this.”

“I need something.” It was only when he saw Lando’s wry smile that Sean realised how that comment could be taken out of context by the man next to him. “Shit! I didn’t mean it like that.”

Sean wiped his hand over his face, feeling the prickle of stubble on his chin. He needed to sleep. All the lads had been pushing themselves – they all needed a couple of hours off. “Come on, Lando, I’ll buy you a pint. I need to look at something other than these four bloody walls. I can’t think straight any more.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean pushed open the door to the local; as usual it was full of off-duty coppers.

A short red faced man, with the beginnings of a beer gut sliding over his belt accosted Sean, “Evening, Bean. You cracked the bullion case then?” 

“Piss off, Halliwell.” Sean hated DI Halliwell with a vengeance that was mutual.

“I’ll get the beers. What’re you drinking, guv?” Lando offered. It pissed Sean off no end that Lando had used the excuse of getting a round in to slide off while he had to stand and talk to the wanker.

“A pint of lager, petal.”

Sean watched Halliwell stare after Lando, as he walked over to the bar and recognised that Halliwell was just at the stage of drunkenness that meant being obnoxious – well okay more obnoxious than usual in his case.

“So, how’s the investigation going? Any leads?” Halliwell slurred.

Sean felt a clammy hand rest on his shoulder and waited for Halliwell to start trying to scoring points off him. They went back a long way, right back to the West Midlands squad. Halliwell had never forgotten or forgiven that Sean got into the Sweeney and made DI first.

“Nah, nothing yet.” Sean looked around and hoped that his beer would arrive soon so he didn’t have to talk to this tosser for longer than necessary. He could see that Lando was still waiting at the crowded bar so there didn’t look to be any hope of imminent rescue from that direction.

Halliwell turned to see what Sean was looking at. “How’s he working out? He’s been with you for nearly a year now.”

“He’s doing fine.”

“He’s pretty enough.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sean snarled; Halliwell could always find a way to wind him up. It also went without saying that if ever Halliwell found out about him and Lan their jobs wouldn’t be worth a light.

“Just that I’ve heard rumours about your DS.”

“I don’t listen to fucking gossip; otherwise I might be imagining you were a cunt.” Sean was bristling; there was no way he was gonna let this excuse for a DI take a pot shot at one of his team. Leaving aside his personal feelings, Lando was a good copper. “Why don’t you piss off, Halliwell, or I might just forget we work for the same side.”

Before Halliwell could think of a reply, Sean turned and walked away. Spotting Lando with three pint glasses balanced between his hands, Sean moved to intercept him.

“Where’s DI Halliwell?”

“I got rid of the sad bastard,” Sean took two of the glasses, “So it looks like I’ll have to drink his beer for him.” Sean spotted a table over in the far corner of the bar and nodded his head in that direction. “Let’s sit and talk about anything other than this fucking robbery for at least half an hour. I feel like we’re losing the fucking plot.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean got back to the table with more drinks. Despite what he’d said they’d spent the last two hours and several pints going over what they knew about the bullion job and it didn’t add up to much in his opinion. “Okay. We have no leads on the getaway cars other than they were done up to look like police vans, complete with blues and twos. They must have been dumped somewhere but they haven’t turned up yet.”

“Right. No luck with any of our grasses. No one is saying anything which confirms our initial feeling that whoever’s running this has muscle.” Lando spoke thoughtfully.

“Yeah.” Sean sighed, he was knackered. Suddenly he sat up from where he had slumped with his elbow on the table. “You know, we need to look at this from the other direction. There aren’t that many outfits who have the nouse to pull a job like this. I reckon we need to ruffle a few feathers and see what happens. If we push hard enough someone will crack and then we might just have the bastards.

Lando drank some more of his pint and nodded, “It’s got to be worth a try I guess.” He looked over at Sean and said with reluctance, “You’re not planning on going back to the station and working on possibles tonight are you?”

Sean smiled, “Nah. It’s okay. Not tonight. We’ll get started first thing tomorrow.”

Lando grinned. “Well in that case Detective Inspector Bean, I think I should come home with you. You look crap and I think I might have the solution... 

“Do you now?” Sean decided the night was looking much better.

Lando lowered his voice, not that it was needed in the noisy bar, “Yeah, besides, my cock’s biting my leg off, come on Sean, let’s get out of here and you can fuck me into the middle of next week.”

Sean drained his glass. “Alright you smooth talker you. Finish your pint and we’ll go.

Ten minutes later they were heading back to Sean’s feeling that maybe a little progress had been made.


	3. Chapter 3

“Bollocks!” 

Lando pulled another box file off the shelf, coughing as a cloud of dust enveloped him. He’d spent the best part of the morning digging out files, on the four firms that he and Sean had picked out first thing that morning as having the muscle to pull off the Heathrow job, from the archives. He looked at the pile of information he had collected and coughed again, “Doesn’t anyone ever clean down here?” He aimed a kick at a nearby filing cabinet, absently noticing the twinge from his arse at the movement. “Shit! I hate this bloody place. Being down here is making me crack up. I’m bloody talking to myself now!”

The only good thing about being on his own, in the dungeon, was that he didn’t have to pretend not to be shattered after spending most of the night getting well and truly fucked. He’d crawled into his own bed at around 4am. It had been his decision, when he and Sean had first got together, that he would never stay all night. Apart from the morning after embarrassment, turning up to work the next morning in the clothes from the night before was a dead giveaway. Right now Lando wasn’t looking for anything resembling permanent and staying the night could lead to the wrong ideas. Not that he thought Sean was looking for anything other than a good fuck now and then.

Last night had been good though and something they’d both needed. Christ! Sean had started groping him in the taxi and he was surprised they’d made it into the house before their clothes started flying. He grimaced to himself; they hadn’t made it to the bed on the first attempt and he was going to suffer the carpet burn on his knees for days. He shouldn’t complain; he’d been the one yelling at Sean to fuck him harder and faster. He was surprised the neighbours hadn’t groused about the noise they’d made.

Picking up the files he headed back upstairs. Of the ones he and Sean had selected, Billy Hamilton and his two brothers were Lando’s favourites. He reckoned a good bookie would be offering three to one on the Hamilton’s. Armed robbery was their favourite occupation and another brother, Les, was doing a ten year stretch in Parkhurst for that very thing.

Lando had just reached the door to the squad room when DC Lewis came out. “Oh, Skip. The governor sent me to look for you.”

Lando shook his head, dislodging dust from his hair, “What’s up now? He knew where I was going.”

“Don’t know what he wants, he just said to find you.”

Lewis held the door open so that Lando pass; he dropped the pile of folders onto his desk, releasing another cloud of dust, which made him sneeze. “If the dust is anything to go by most of these firms have been clean for a while. Figuratively speaking of course.” He looked over at Sean and noticed his smug expression.

“Okay, what’s up? You look far too pleased with yourself.”

“I just got a tip off.”

“What? Why now for fuck’s sake? I’ve just spent all bloody morning digging out those files and getting dust in every available orifice.”

“Keep your hair on. We still need the files; I’m not dismissing anyone for the sake of a single grass.”

“So who’s the favourite now?” From Sean’s grin, Lando was guessing that Brian O’Donnell had been the one fingered.

Sean leaned over and pulled a file out from the middle of Lando’s pile, “Brian bleeding O’Donnell. I’ve wanted to nick that bastard ever since I clapped eyes on him on my first case with the Squad.”

“So how do you want to play this, guv? We can’t just pile in there and nick him.”

“Don’t I just know it.” Sean walked over to the kettle and switched it on, “We’ll do this right. We’re going to set up surveillance on all four of the firms but we’ll pay special attention to O’Donnell. I want to know everything about him, what he has for breakfast and which position he uses when he screws his wife.”

Sean stood and looked around the room, raising his voice to be heard above the drone of conversation going on between the other squad members and people on the phone, “Okay you lot, we’ve got something to work on. I want you all in the briefing room in fifteen minutes.” Sean turned, “Lan, give the guv’nor a call, see if he wants to be there too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later the briefing room was heavy with cigarette smoke. A team had been allocated to each target with cameras and recording equipment. As he had expected O’Donnell and crew had been saved for their team. Lando listened as Sean wound up the briefing.

“Right, remember lads, I want to know about everyone who visits or has anything to do with your targets. I want every single person they talk to identified and checked out. It doesn’t matter if they know you are watching them, the extra pressure could force them to make a mistake. Just don’t give them reason to be able to scream harassment.”

Griffiths stood and Sean acknowledged him, “You wanted a word, guv?”

“Yes please, Sean, just a quick word with the men – if you’re finished with the briefing?” 

“Yep, I’m done for now.”

The DCI faced the squad, “I don’t want any chance of these scroats getting off on any sort of technicality. So remember, no searching cars or premises without a warrant, no direct harassment of the targets. I don’t want a single bent brief at my office door making a complaint.” Griffiths looked around, “Right then lads, off you go.”

Lando stayed put as the rest of the squad began to stand and move around, clattering chairs. As the men left the room and the noise dropped Sean moved over to stand next to him and spoke quietly, “You didn’t have to leave last night. It wouldn’t have meant anything if you’d stayed.”

Lando nodded, “I know. I just think it’s better this way. There’s no blurring of the lines between home and work. Besides I didn’t have a change of clothes in my locker. The last thing I would need is some cocky little DC working out that I spent the night in a strange bed and then asking for the gory details about the bird I’d been shagging.”

Sean didn’t look convinced but he nodded anyway.

“So we’re taking the first watch on O’Donnell then?” Lando wanted a change of subject and he knew if he mentioned Brian O’Donnell Sean would be off at a tangent faster than a pro could drop her drawers.

“Yeah, now and the early one tomorrow morning.”


	4. Chapter 4

Lando jerked awake as soon as he felt the nudge against his foot. He heard the motor drive of the camera whine as Sean took a couple of shots of the latest arrival at Brian O’Donnell’s house. 

It had been like this pretty much over the whole five days they had been on watch. With a constant stream of visitors all of whom were connected in some way with O’Donnell’s many legitimate business interests. While Sean snapped pictures, Lando used binoculars to read off the registration number of the car that had just pulled into the driveway. 

He spoke to Dave who was manning the radio at the station, “Dave, I need a DVLC check.”

“Okay, give me the number, Skip.” 

“It’s a red Capri 2.8i, Sierra, Mike, Delta 469 Whiskey. You got that?”

Sean interrupted, “Tell him I want a full police record check too. From the look of it this one is family and not business.”

Lando looked up at the scene outside O’Donnell’s door; the kid was being hugged and pecked on the cheek by Ruth, Brian’s wife. “Did you get that, Dave? We need a full CRO check too on whatever name you turn up.”

“Okay, Skip, I’ll get back to you.” 

Lando looked back at the house. In a road of thirties semis, Brian O’Donnell’s house, like its owner, was larger and flashier. It looked to Lando as though it had been built on the space formerly occupied by two of the semis. Built in a mock Tudor style, it had a dark wood door and leaded light windows.

Lando turned away from the rear window and leaned against the side of the van. He could ignore the smell of feet and sweat but surveillance had to be his least favourite part of the job. He looked at Sean, “You recognise him?”

Sean shook his head, “Nah. But to be driving a flashy car like that he’s got to be up to no good.”

“Maybe not, his family could be independently wealthy.”

Sean snorted, “I’ll believe that when I start seeing flying bloody porkers.”

The radio crackled back to life and Orlando picked it up, “Talk to me, Dave.”

“Okay, the car is registered to James Edward O’Donnell, date of birth, tenth October 1962.”

Nineteen, nearly twenty – yeah that matched with the kid he had seen go into O’Donnell’s. “Has he got any form?”

“Nothing recently. He got into a few scrapes when he was fifteen but was let off with cautions. It happened about the time that his old man died. Seems like his mum couldn’t cope. Then Uncle Brian stepped in and the kid has kept his nose clean since.”

“Okay, thanks, Dave.”

Sean was looking at him, “So? Who is he?”

“His name is James O’Donnell and his old man was Big Jimmy O’Donnell –” 

“Brian’s older brother!” 

“Didn’t he get topped in a shoot out when a bank blag went wrong?” Lando mused.

“Yeah and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke. He was an evil bastard.” Sean continued, “There have been rumours that little Jimmy’s now part of Brian’s firm but he’s Teflon coated. We’ve never had a thing on him.”

“Dave said he was clean apart from a couple of cautions.”

Sean nodded, “Okay, we keep tabs on him. Get onto Albie and tell him to tail Jimmy when he leaves. I want to know who he meets and what the little bugger does for the rest of the day.”

Lando passed on the message and put the radio down again. He looked at his watch and saw it was nearly two and worked out that they had been in the same place, apart from nipping into the nearby shrubbery for a piss, for almost six hours.

“When are DI Halliwell and his team due to relieve us?” Lando was beginning to feel hungry.

“Another four hours but knowing that bastard he’s going to be late.” Sean was still looking out of the window and answered absently.

“You want me to get some food sent in?”

“Oh yeah,” Sean nodded and licked his lips deliberately, “I could murder a sausage sandwich. As long as it has the big fat ones and lots of HP sauce.” Sean raised an eyebrow, apparently waiting for a come back.

Lando held up his hands grinning, “Nope, I am not going to make a single joke about the size of anyone’s sausages, I’ve just sat a promotion board and they might come to you for a reference.”

“Is that all? Just worried about promotion?” Sean rested his head back against the glass, looking expectantly.

Lando knew exactly what Sean was hinting, so he crawled across the floor of the van towards his partner. “Well I suppose I could concede that the size of one’s sausage is unimportant, as long as one knows what to do with it.” He moved his hand until it was resting on the growing bulge at Sean’s crotch. He squeezed, “Is this for later? When we’re off duty?”

“If you want it.”

Oh shit, of course he wanted it but he kept it cool. “Yeah, okay. Sounds good.”

Movement from the corner of his eye, made Lando look back at the house. Back on duty, he let go of Sean’s cock and grabbed for the binoculars. “Little Jimmy’s leaving and by the look of him he isn’t a happy bunny.” 

“Let Albie know he’s leaving.” Sean got the camera ready and snapped a few more pictures of Jimmy before he climbed into the car and took off in a cloud of wheel spinning and smoke. “Jesus I wish I’d been a fly on the wall during that conversation. I can’t believe the fuckers at the Home Office won’t allow us to bug Brian.”

“Yeah I know. Maybe Albie and the boys will get something we can use.”

Sean nodded, “I hope so, I don’t know how much longer I can stick this. This constant sitting around is pissing me off.” Sean sat in silence for a couple of minutes and then said, “You want to get a curry and a few beers later, when we’re done here?”

“Sure.”

Sean rubbed a hand up Lando’s leg, making his breathing hitch, “Can I expect you to finish what you started just now?”

“Yeah, but just remember the curry was your idea. So when I spend all night farting, don’t blame me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four hours later, the sausage sandwiches were long gone and Lando was waiting impatiently for DI Halliwell to show. He’d spent too much time cooped up in the past five days. Though now he did have a fucking to look forward to. The radio crackled to life and Lando answered, “Bloom.”

“I need to talk to DI Bean.” Lando was surprised to hear DCI Griffiths’ voice.

Lando passed over the radio, “It’s for you, guv. It’s Griffiths.”

Lando waited in silence. When Sean handed back the radio Lando said, “So? What’s occurring?”

“Jimmy O’Donnell has got himself drunk and into a fight. Because we were keeping tabs on him we managed to pick him up before the locals did. He’s back at the nick and Griffiths wants me to question him.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapid update because the last few chapters have been quite short

“Shit!” Sean closed his eyes and hoped that when he looked again the scotch bottle would be miraculously full. But, as expected, it was still empty which just about summed up the futility of a day that was now on its last legs. It had been a complete shite. He’d expected the arrest of Jimmy O’Donnell to be a breakthrough in the bullion case, but it had done sod all. Jimmy had been too far gone with the booze to say anything coherent despite Sean and Griffiths pushing him hard. Lando had even tried the good cop routine; bringing the kid coffee and offering to let his mum know where he was so she wouldn’t worry and all they’d got was a big fat zero.

And now here he was at home alone, hornier than fuck with nothing other than his own hand. Apparently Lando’d had second thoughts about coming over tonight, disappearing from the squad room while Sean and Griffiths were discussing their strategy for talking to Jimmy again in the morning.

Sean wanted Brian O’Donnell behind bars so badly his head hurt. 

He wanted Lando under him so much that his cock hurt.

Looking once more at the empty glass, Sean thought about throwing it at the wall but figured with the way his luck was going he would probably tread on the broken glass in the morning and end up in fucking casualty.

He’d decided to turn in when he heard a knock at his door. Tired as he was Sean remembered to check out his late night visitor through the viewer in the door. The sight of his DS standing there sent a bolt of desire straight to Sean’s cock. It never failed to amaze him how quickly certain parts of his anatomy reacted when Lando was around.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Footsteps inside told Lando that Sean hadn’t gone to bed yet. That was a relief; it had taken longer than he realised to get hold of the booze.

The door opened and Lando nodded in greeting holding out the bottle of scotch. “Hey, Sean, I noticed you were almost out last time I was here and thought that after the shitty day today you could do with a drink.” He made a point of using Sean’s first name because he wanted to do some straight talking and hoped Sean would listen to him as a friend.

Sean nodded, “You’re right there.” He stood to one side, “Come in, unless you want to spend the night on the doorstep.”

Lando shook his head as he walked past Sean into the flat, “Don’t think so. I’d hoped to find a better place to spend the night.”

Sean followed him into the living room, “I’m better than what then?”

Lando walked over to the table where Sean kept glasses and poured two healthy measures of the scotch, “I didn’t say that. I said your place was better.” He handed Sean a drink, allowing their fingers to touch.

“How?” Sean sipped his drink and looked around the room. “This place looks just as crap as it always does.”

Making himself at home, Lando walked over and sat down on the old sagging sofa, tossing back his drink in one go. “I’m not talking about the décor, if I was I’d suggest you fire your interior designer or at the least charge them with misrepresentation. I’m talking about events, I remember us shagging here a lot of times and it was always good. There was the time I was kneeling here,” he patted the seat cushion next to himself, “and you were giving it to me so hard it was all I could do to stop myself being lifted clean over the back of the sofa and onto the floor.”  
Sean picked up the bottle and walked over, topping up Lando’s drink and then his own. “Yeah, I remember. You were still complaining that you wanted it faster and harder.”

“Then there was the time we never got further than in here and ended up on the floor. The carpet burn lasted for weeks.” Remembering their past encounters always made Lando hard and even though he was tired and had barely eaten, tonight wasn’t any different. Like always he wanted Sean to pound him into next week.

Sean laughed, “Wasn’t that the night of DI Oldchurch’s leaving do? God, we were so hammered that night.”

Sean drained his glass and offered the bottle again; Lando let him fill his glass. Despite his slender build he could out drink most people he knew but it wasn’t something he advertised. It was sometimes useful to make others think he couldn’t handle the booze. 

Sean walked over and placed the bottle down on the low coffee table in front of the sofa and sat down facing Lando, their knees almost touching. “What’s your problem? There’s more to this visit than bringing me booze or wanting a quick fuck.” 

Lando looked him straight in the eye, chewing at his bottom lip wondering how to start the conversation. “You’re right.” He grinned then, “But a fuck sounds good too.”

Sean stared at the liquid in his glass, losing himself for a moment in the colour and reflection. He sighed, “Talk to me.”

“It’s about this case. I was there earlier, during question time with Jimmy O’Donnell and I’m not convinced he had anything to do with the bullion job. In fact I’m not convinced that Brian is involved either.” 

“But the job is just his style. Look at the threats to the guards. I know for a fact that, in the past, Brian has got rid of rivals in just the same way, pouring petrol on the poor bastards and setting them alight.”

“I know all that, Sean, but even then we couldn’t prove anything. And now we don’t have anything to link him to the job. Nothing!” Lando let himself fall back against the sofa; he had to know that Sean was truly convinced of Brian O’Donnell’s guilt. “. I know that Brian O’Donnell should be locked up for the rest of his natural life but I’m a good copper and I’m not going to fit someone up for something they didn’t do, no matter how much they fucking deserve it.”

“Bloody hell, I’m not looking to fit anyone up. You should know me better than that!” 

He had guessed that Sean would be furious if he thought that his motives were being questioned but Lando had to do it. For his own sake and Sean’s he had to be sure that this wasn’t just some futile obsession, that they could make a case that would stick. Lando lowered his eyes and kept his voice quiet when he replied, “Yes I know that. I just think that you can’t be objective where Brian O’Donnell is concerned.” 

Sean swallowed the rest of his drink and put the glass down beside him on the coffee table. “I have a gut feeling about this.”

“Listen to yourself, Sean. A gut feeling won’t work in court! A gut feeling isn’t evidence!” Lando waited, Sean needed to work this one out for himself.

Sean groaned loudly, “All right! I’ll find something to stand up in court before I do anything, don’t worry.” 

“Okay.” Lando finished his drink and put his glass down, “I want you to stay objective. Don’t go in blindly because you know as well as I do that Brian will set his lawyers on us. And if he does that we are well and truly buggered.” 

Lando saw Sean give a sly smile, most likely at his choice of words. Leaning forward and resting his hands on Lando’s thighs, he stroked slowly upwards, “Buggered huh?” He moved one hand higher and stroked over the bulge at Lando’s groin.

Lando barely stopped himself from moaning with pleasure as he slid further down the sofa, pushing his cock more firmly against Sean’s hand. “Yeah buggered…” He managed to whisper. 

Sliding off the coffee table and onto his knees Sean continued to stroke him, the pressure was just right, not hard enough to make him come immediately but enough to increase his arousal until his cock was straining against the front of his trousers.

He was on the verge of begging Sean to get on with it when, with quick economical movements, Sean unzipped him and, when Lando lifted his hips, he pushed his trousers and his boxers down his legs just far enough to free his erection. 

Sean’s finger travelled the length of his cock and Lando couldn’t hold in a moan of pleasure. Sean then followed the path of his finger with his tongue; leaving a trail of saliva in his wake that Lando could see glistening in the dim light.

“Jesus, Sean! Don’t fuck about, just do it!” He couldn’t stop his involuntary cry.

Sean tongued the slit at the head of his cock, making him thrust up off the sofa. In a voice as seductive as silk he said, “Tell me what you want.” 

“I want you to suck me off!” Lando gasped between words, he was so bloody hard now he could barely breathe let alone utter a word.

“Is that all?” Sean let his tongue slide over the slit once more.

“No! You bastard! Then I want you to take me into the bedroom and fuck me so hard I’ll feel it for a week.”

Sean must have decided to let his actions speak for him because the next thing Lando knew his cock was surrounded by the wet heat of Sean’s mouth. He tried to move but couldn’t. Sorting through the sensations assaulting him he worked out that Sean had one hand clasped around the base of his cock, the other was pressing against his hip, stopping him from thrusting into Sean’s mouth and letting Sean control the pace. Lando didn’t give a fuck who was in control, his cock was buried balls deep in Sean’s throat. “Oh, that’s good…” Lando moved one hand to rest lightly on Sean’s hair, trying to direct his movements.

Sean’s hand brushed his lips and instinctive understanding made him open his mouth, sucking the offered fingers inside, covering them with saliva. 

Anticipation was making him dizzy and he gasped, “Do it now, Sean. Fuck me with your fingers as well. Make me come hard.”

For a second Sean’s mouth left him, “Spread your legs wider.”

Lando managed to keep his eyes open as Sean increased the pace. The suction was so great it felt like he was trying to suck the skin off Lando’s cock. Hypnotised by the vision of Sean’s mouth stretched around his cock, he didn’t notice Sean’s hand move until two fingers were jabbed into his arse. Without waiting for him to adjust to the invasion, Sean pumped his fingers in and out, curling them to stroke his prostate.

It was all too much, “I’m gonna come!” He moaned, but Sean didn’t stop, moving his mouth and fingers in concert. “Fuck, fuck, ohhh shit!” Lando felt his balls spasm and then he started coming so hard he thought he would pass out.

Still recovering, he felt Sean’s hands on his legs and realised his shoes, socks and the trousers and boxers bunched around his calves were being removed. Lifting his eyes, though it was almost too much effort, he met Sean’s gaze, “Christ, you’re good at that.” 

Licking his lips, Sean sat back on his heels and grinned, “Well, if you’ve got talent, why hide it?” 

Getting his body to obey him, Lando pulled his now sweaty shirt over his head and threw it on the floor, “Wanker.” 

Sean stood and dragged him to his feet, so that they were standing face to face. “No chance. I want your arse not me own bloody hand.” 

“Jesus, I think you sucked most of my brain out.” 

If it wasn’t for Sean’s arm supporting him he wasn’t sure if he would be standing. He let his head tip forward until it rested on Sean’s shoulder. The temptation to open the collar of Sean’s shirt and run his lips along Sean’s collar bone, to taste him, was almost overpowering but he couldn’t do that. They were fuck buddies, Sean had never hinted that he wanted anything else, anything more. 

Suddenly, the room whirled around him again and he found himself draped over Sean’s shoulder for the trip across the hallway to the bedroom, before being dumped unceremoniously on the bed. He watched as Sean shed his clothes, appreciating the way that the dim light from the hallway highlighted his blond hair, at the same time caressing the planes and curves of Sean’s body. 

As if aware of his introspection, Sean grabbed his foot where it dangled half on and half off the end of the bed. “No falling asleep now. It’s my turn.”

Lando made to turn over and Sean’s grip on his foot tightened, “No, stay there.”

Lando was confused, Sean always took him on his hands and knees, “What?” 

For a second he thought he saw some softer emotion on Sean’s face before it was lost, replaced by a smug grin, “I’m fed up with looking at your arse, I want to see your face this time.”

Before he could figure out a coherent response, Sean had slicked up his cock with the Vaseline kept in the bedside table and was kneeling between his spread thighs. He was already open from Sean’s fingers so it was an easy slide until Sean’s balls were nestled against his arse and he could feel Sean filling him, completing him.

When Sean began to move, slowly at first, he couldn’t stifle a groan of pleasure. They’d never had sex like this before. The enforced intimacy was unnerving but Lando couldn’t bring himself to look away or close his eyes. The look in Sean’s eyes scared and excited him at the same time. It was as though, for a brief time, they could see into each other’s souls.

The spell was broken when Sean shifted; it changed the angle and the immediate contact with his prostate on Sean’s next thrust made Lando arch away from the mattress in pleasure. For once he let Sean take control, forcing himself to concentrate on the physical sensations coursing through his body rather than shouting demands or directions. 

Sean picked up the pace, thrusting harder as he leaned forward over Lando, changing the angle once more. God he was close to coming again, the angle was just right. He reached down to grab his own cock to finish himself off but Sean slapped his hand away. “No. Not yet.”

Sean kept pounding into him, his breath coming in shorter and shorter gasps as he got close.

Lando curled his hands into Sean’s hair, pulling him closer, “Touch me, Sean, please.” He whispered. It was no good, he had to close his eyes before he gave in to the compulsion to fasten his lips against Sean’s, to explore his mouth with his tongue, to find out how he tasted. He couldn’t do that but God he wanted to, so bad.

Then he was coming and he forgot everything, feeling Sean slide against him spreading come across both their chests as he reached his own climax.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean was drawn back to awareness by the phone ringing, without waking fully he mumbled into the receiver, “Bean.” He heard movement beside him and it took a second to realise that Lando was still there, that he hadn’t gone home like usual. That was odd, Sean didn’t remember them getting that hammered last night.

“Guv?” The voice was insistent.

Sean didn’t recognise the voice on the other end of the phone straight away, “This had better be good, it’s the middle of the fucking night.”

“It’s Dave, Guv. I’ve got some bad news.”

Sean sat up; Dave wasn’t going to ring him in the middle of the night for anything less than a major problem. “What’s happened?” Sean could feel Lando’s eyes on him.

“It’s Jimmy O’Donnell. The doc’s with him now but it’s a formality. He’s dead. It looks to me like he choked on his own vomit.”

Sean somehow resisted the temptation to give Dave a bollocking, it wasn’t his fault after all, he was only the messenger. “Shit! Okay, Dave, I’ll be right there. Have you tried to reach Lando yet?”

“No, Guv, I was going to ring him next.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll contact him and bring him in with me. Sit tight and don’t contact anyone else, especially not Jimmy’s family, until I get there.”

“Okay.”

Sean slammed the phone down, “Fucking bollocks!”

“What’s going on?”

“Bloody Jimmy O’Donnell has gone and croaked on us!”

“Fuck!”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note the changed tags now please. Some non-con and F/M - but not including the main characters in this chapter.

Brian closed the door of his home quietly before walking to his car. He opened the back door then changed his mind and got in beside his driver. Bill had worked for him for long enough to know not to talk unless he was spoken to and right now Brian wasn’t in the mood for any sort of conversation. He’d been drinking steadily all day but all the whiskey in Ireland wasn’t going to make him forget.

They’d held the wake for Jimmy today and keeping his temper had proved difficult, especially once Jimmy’s mother, Kathleen, had shifted a few brandies. Her constant whining about her loss had grated on his nerves. Did she think she was the only one suffering here? Just because Brian wasn’t weeping and wailing with the rest of them did she think others weren’t grieving as well? Brian had more reason than most to feel Jimmy’s death. “She wasn’t the only one who lost him; he was like a son to me.”

“Sorry, boss. Did you say something?”

Brian realised he had spoken aloud. “No, nothing important, Bill.” Jesus he needed distracting. Maybe he should lose his mind in a meaningless fuck so that he could forget that Jimmy was gone and he’d let him down just like he’d let down his big brother, Jim. Yes that was it, he’d go to Rita and forget for a while. “Take me to Rita’s.” 

As the car pulled out of the drive, Brian remembered Jimmy’s mother Kathleen’s hysterical phone call, just over a week ago, telling him that Jimmy was dead. He’d lost it then, flying into a rage that had even scared him. When he had finally calmed down he’d started planning his revenge. He wasn’t going to let the filth get one over on Brian O’Donnell. He was going to make them sorry they’d messed with his family.

Of course there was going to be an inquest but Brian knew that it would be a formality; of course the establishment was going to side with the police. There would never be any justice for the O’Donnell’s, Brian had learned that the hard way.

It had taken a couple of days after Jimmy’s death until the red mist had cleared but he’d started work then. Brian had always been a great believer in the Sicilian proverb that ‘revenge was a dish best served cold.’ They had it right, they knew all about vendettas. An eye for an eye… He liked the sound of that. 

The first thing he had done was to get hold of copies of the post mortem reports, it was easy if you had the right contacts and enough cash; and Brian had both. He’d even got pictures that showed the bruising on Jimmy’s chest, caused by the two broken ribs. There was some horseshit about them being broken during attempts to resuscitate him but Brian knew better, he knew the results of a beating. Accidental death while under the influence they were saying. But Brian wasn’t going to let this go. He was going to get his revenge. He was going to make those responsible suffer as Jimmy suffered while he choked out his life on the floor of a police cell.

The car came to a stop and he jerked back into wakefulness. For a brief moment he wondered where he was but then the crushing weight of grief flowed back over him. Just for tonight he wanted something to make him forget his sorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Brian, darlin’?”

He opened his eyes and looked down on the naked woman kneeling between his spread legs. “What?”

She pointed to his limp dick, “I don’t think this is going to work.” 

She stroked her hands along his thighs and suddenly repulsed he pushed her away. She sprawled back onto the floor her bottle blonde hair falling around her face and he saw her clearly for what seemed like the first time. He saw the sagging skin of her arms and the faint red stretch marks across her belly. Jesus! No wonder he couldn’t get it up. How had he missed her getting so old? 

Slow burning anger replaced the emptiness in his gut for the first time in over a week and he reached over and slapped her hard around the face. “I’m not surprised looking at you. How did I ever put up with you for so long, you ugly bitch?”

She shuffled away, her hand against her cheek where his blow had landed. He followed her and hit her again, enjoying her cry of pain. Reaching down he put his hand around her throat, seeing again the lines on her face that even her make up couldn’t hide. How had she deceived him for so long? How had she made him think he still wanted a woman like her? Maybe the fact that he was usually drunk when he was with her had something to do with it. That was it! The bitch got him drunk so he wouldn’t see her as she really was. So that she could keep hold of her meal ticket.

Still gripping her throat he pulled her to her feet. Squeezing harder he saw fear grow in her eyes and it made him feel good, made the emptiness start to fade. He wanted her to understand that he was a powerful man, someone who could take care of business, not someone to be screwed with. She struggled weakly to free herself and he felt himself getting hard as he watched her choking.

It was so obvious now; once he had the bastard coppers responsible for Jimmy’s death in his hands he could begin to exorcise the ghosts. Only then would Jimmy forgive him for not being there. 

Without a word he used the grip he had on her neck to push her towards the bed. Holding her face down with a hand on the back of her head he knelt between her spread legs. He only had to lift her hips slightly and not caring if it hurt he shoved his cock, now hard as steel, into her. 

She lay as still as death while he fucked her. His thrusts were brutally hard and if she reacted or made a noise he didn’t hear it for the sound of his blood pounding in his ears. 

Finished, he pulled out, leaving her lying on the bed shaking. He got dressed and when he was done, he went back to her, gratified by her involuntary flinch away. Crouching down he pulled her face up to his.

“I can’t believe I’ve put up with you for nigh on twenty years. I don’t know why I did because I can’t even remember the fucking being all that good.”

She opened her mouth to speak but he covered it with his hand, “No. Don’t say anything. Don’t beg or plead and I’ll let you leave here with the clothes on your back. Say a single word and I’ll kill you.”

Brian let go of her chin and looked around the room, he’d paid for every single thing in the flat and now it was time to get back his own. Maybe in a couple of weeks he could install another slapper to take this one’s place. It’d probably cost him an arm and a leg to redecorate the place to please her but as long as the bitch was young and pretty, and gave good head, the money would be well spent.

He looked at the woman who was still lying where he had left her. “You still here? I’d get a move on if I were you, unless you want to leave here naked.”

He walked into the living room, calling over his shoulder, “I’m getting myself a drink and you’d better be gone before I finish it.”

He was aware of quiet movements in the bedroom and then the click of the front door closing. Paying no attention, he allowed himself to think about his revenge. He’d set thing moving tomorrow. The sooner the better. He’d get the ones who gave the orders. They’d learn very quickly and very painfully that it didn’t pay to cross Brian O’Donnell.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor character deaths in this chapter

Orlando dumped an extra teaspoon of sugar in his coffee, stirred it vigorously and took a mouthful before realising it was still too hot. Shit! He was too distracted; all this crap with Sean was doing his head in. Ever since the previous week, when they’d fucked face to face for the first time, he couldn’t concentrate. He kept finding himself fantasising about being able to kiss or hold hands if they wanted. Realistically though, even if that was what Sean wanted, there was no way in hell they could be open about being together. Prejudice was still rife against queers, particularly those in any sort of official occupation. To be open about their sexuality would guarantee that any hopes of promotion, for either of them, would go straight down the toilet.

He went and sat at his desk, trying to busy himself with looking at the reports from the surveillance on Brian O’Donnell. After a fruitless fifteen minutes he threw the files down in disgust. In nearly a fortnight of observation, all they had managed to uncover was that Brian O’Donnell was playing away from home and had been with Rita, the other woman, for close to twenty years. 

The noise in the squad room increased as the day shift began showing up. Lando rubbed his eyes, he had slept badly, a headache was already making itself felt behind his eyes and it wasn’t even nine o’clock. It was no good, he and Sean were going to have to have another serious talk; Sean’s job was to find those responsible for the bullion job not obsess about nicking Brian O’Donnell. 

With that in mind he pulled the reports back towards him. If he wasn’t careful his growing obsession with Sean would leave him open to a charge of hypocrisy. 

He picked up his coffee and took a sip just as Sean arrived. He looked good this morning, Lando saw, wearing a suit, with a plain white shirt and a dark tie. Realising, after he had swallowed a tepid mouthful, that he had let his coffee get too cold, Lando lifted the mug at Sean, “Want some coffee, guv?”

“Yeah, that would be great.”

Sean walked over and stood beside him at the kettle, “I missed you last night. I know we didn’t make plans but I was hoping that you’d pop round.”

For the first time since they had got together, Lando couldn’t come up with a clever comment. He looked away, not meeting Sean’s eyes, “Sorry. I had some stuff to do.” 

“Oh…” Sean looked as though he would say more but then DCI Griffiths came into the squad room.

“Morning, Sean, Orlando.” 

“Morning, guv.” Sean said.

Lando felt a bit like a parrot when he echoed, “Morning, guv.”

“Sean, I’ve just had a call from the Deputy Commissioner, he’s getting it in the neck from the press about Jimmy O’Donnell. There are rumours doing the rounds that the kid was killed in police custody and that we are running a cover up.”

“Why? There’s no evidence! It’s straight-forward. The kid died because he choked on his own vomit when he was drunk. The officer in charge of the cells had checked him ten minutes before and he was sleeping like a baby. There was nothing else we could have done.” Sean’s voice rose in anger.

Lando opted to stay quiet, Griffiths knew the truth and nothing they could say was going to make the press ignore the makings of a good scandal. 

“I know, Sean, but the old man wants a first hand report so he can make a statement to the press. He wants us at New Scotland Yard in half an hour.”

“Jesus, I can’t, guv. I’m due in court at eleven. I have to give evidence in the McMurdo case. If I’m not there, he’ll walk.”

Lando nodded, now he remembered why Sean was suited and booted

“Why don’t you take Lando with you, guv? He spoke to Jimmy that night as well and he did most of the research when we set up watch on the firms.” Lando’s heart sank. He did not need to be traipsing off to the bloody West End this morning. He had to sort the rota for the continuing surveillance on Brian and someone had to go through the reports and make sure they didn’t miss anything useful.

Griffiths looked undecided and for second Lando hoped he would avoid the trip, but, typical of his luck just lately, there was no such reprieve. 

“I’ll tell the Deputy Commissioner that you’ll ring his secretary, Sean, and make an appointment as soon as possible to brief him yourself.”

Ha! No reprieve for Sean either. Lando had at least that much satisfaction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a minor grilling from the Deputy Commissioner, which was mostly directed at Griffiths, Lando spent the journey back from the Yard deep in thought. Griffiths was taking the chance to catch up on his correspondence and Lando tuned out the words he was speaking into a small tape recorder for his secretary to type up later.

That left Lando with nothing to do but let thoughts of Sean go round and round his head. He honestly wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep up the pretence of just wanting to fuck. But he still wasn’t sure just how much of a risk he was prepared to take. How much of himself he was willing to open up? If he told Sean how he felt and Sean turned him down it was going to hurt. But would that be any worse than the way he was feeling right now?

He came out of his introspection when their driver Frank, followed a van into a narrow one-way street. Lando kept quiet at first but eventually the feeling that something was wrong became too strong and he leaned forward and said to Frank, “I don’t remember coming this way before.”

Frank replied, “The usual way was closed for road works, Skip. It’s okay; this diversion was signposted.”

“Okay.” Lando agreed but he couldn’t dispel the feeling that he was missing something. He was sure there hadn’t been any road works earlier, on their way to the Yard, he would have seen them.

Lando knew that Griffiths had overheard his conversation with Frank because he had stopped talking into the mini tape player and was looking out of the window.

Suddenly the van in front of them stopped and Frank had to jam on the anchors to avoid hitting it. At the same time there was a thump and a horrendous grinding noise from behind. Lando was thrown forward, hitting his forehead on the back of the seat in front. Slightly dazed, he saw that Griffiths had fared better, somehow anticipating the impact and managing to brace himself with an arm against the seat in front of him.

Swearing, Frank turned to Griffiths, “Don’t worry, guv, I’ll sort this silly bugger out,” before getting out of the car.

Lando sighed; smacking his head on the back of the driver’s seat had done nothing good for his headache. Fuck it! They would be even later getting back to the office now. An accident in an unmarked car created a mountain of paperwork even if you weren’t to blame.

Deciding that he would try to hurry Frank up, Lando pulled at the handle to release his door just as a figure in a dark ski mask appeared at the window. Instinctively, he pushed the door open as hard as he could, hitting the would-be carjacker in the chest and knees. Not stopping to see what damage he’d caused, he was out of the car before the door had swung fully open. Looking behind them, he saw that another Transit van had pulled up across the road, blocking any escape and most likely any view of what was going on should any more cars turn into the street. Oh bollocks! Now he knew this wasn’t just a simple accident!

The Cortina which had been driven into the back of their car was empty with both front doors standing open and Lando guessed that the guy in the ski mask had come from there. His brain worked at lightening speed; if both doors were open then that meant there was at least another one of the bastards out there! And where the fuck was Frank when they needed him?

Hearing a yell, Lando turned and saw another masked man, trying to pull the guv’nor out of the car. Without thinking he jumped across the bonnet and threw himself on top of the bastard. Landing hard, Lando shouted at Griffiths, “Get some help!”

As he climbed back to his feet, the sound of a shot made him spin around. Shit! Over by the Transit a third man was standing over Frank’s crumpled body! They were tooled up! He needed to buy more time for Griffiths to get clear!

Before he could react, he heard the sound of a footstep behind him. Something connected with the back of his head setting off starbursts of light in his vision. As he hit the ground Lando realised he had forgotten about the guy he’d decked first. 

The pain in his head was overwhelming and all he could see was bright, white light. As his vision cleared a little he was hauled to his feet. He felt himself dragged along, his eyes were half closed against the suddenly too bright sunlight, when the sound of another shot split the air. For a fraction of a second Lando wondered if he had been shot and just wasn’t registering the pain. Squinting through the blood dripping down into his eyes, he saw Griffiths lying unmoving on the roadway.

Shocked, it was only sheer willpower that stopped his knees from buckling. He was forced roughly, against the side of the van and as his arms were pulled behind him and something metallic closed over each wrist he let his face rest against the cool metal. Bugger, they were using his own cuffs! 

Darkness descended as a cloth bag was forced over his head. Shit! Were they going to execute him now? But why worry about cuffing and blindfolding him when they had just killed Frank and the guv’nor without a thought?

Once again he was dragged along by hands holding under his arms. They stopped and he was pushed against something hard, barking his shins painfully. Then he was lifted and thrown, landing on an uneven metal surface. The floor of a van? The vibration under him increased as the driver revved the engine and suddenly they were moving, screaming round corners, causing him to roll uncontrollably, before the driver seemed to settle. Maybe killing two coppers and kidnapping another one was a big deal to at least one of the gang? God! With Sean in court this morning there was no telling how long it would be before someone on the squad realised they were in trouble.

As the journey continued his headache grew worse. The constant motion of the van, as it careered wildly along was making him feel sick. He knew he couldn’t throw up with his head covered because then he would choke – just like Jimmy O’Donnell.


	8. Chapter 8

Sean pushed his way against the flow of people, down the stairs towards the exit of the Old Bailey. He was feeling slightly happier now that something had gone right. Thanks to his evidence, Harry McMurdo was going to spend a very long time behind bars. A nasty piece of work, McMurdo had run protection rackets in the East End for years until they had nicked him. 

Looking at his watch, Sean saw that it was nearly midday, Lando and the guv’nor should be back from the Yard by now, maybe he and Lando could go for a pint at lunch time. Lando had seemed off that morning and Sean wanted to find out what was bothering him.

While he had sat outside the court room, waiting to give evidence, Sean had thought about little but what he wanted for him and Lando. The uneasiness currently between them was unusual and as far as Sean could recall, began on the night that Jimmy O’Donnell had died. The same night that he had allowed himself to believe that there might be more between them than a quick impersonal fuck every now and then. 

Leaving the court, Sean intended to turn right into Newgate Street and head for the nearest tube station. It hadn’t seemed worthwhile to wait around for Dave to come and get him, as the CPS hadn’t been certain how long the trial would last. He was therefore surprised to see his driver waiting outside the court, a frantic look on his face.

“What’s up, Dave? I didn’t expect to see you here.”

For a minute Dave seemed reluctant to speak and Sean’s heart sank. What the fuck had happened to make the normally calm man so tense?

“The car’s over this way, guv. I was just on my way inside to try to find you. We need you back at the station.” 

Dave started off across the road.

Sean followed and when they got to the other side he reached out grabbed Dave’s arm and pulled him a halt. 

“Stop being a wanker and tell me what the fuck is going on! Why am I needed so urgently?”

Dave looked down at that floor, “It’s DCI Griffiths, guv. There was a hit on his car about an hour ago. He and Frank are dead and –“

Sean clenched his fist so hard Dave yelped.

“What about Lando?” Sean felt sick and dizzy, like he was viewing events through a dark haze.

“We don’t know, guv.”

“What do you fucking mean, you don’t know?”

“We don’t know because there’s no sign of him. We’ve started checking hospitals in case someone found him and took him in but it’s as though he just disappeared.”

“My people don’t just fucking disappear!” Despite his distraction, Sean saw a couple of heads, in the crowd standing outside the court, lift at his raised voice. Shit! They were probably reporters covering the day’s events at the Bailey. The last thing they needed was a whisper that a copper was missing.

“I know. SOCO are working the scene, they’ve found some blood that doesn’t belong to the boss or Frank so they are running a match with the skipper’s blood type.”

Sean pulled open the car door and got in, “Get me to the scene, now. I want to see what is going on there.” Deep down Sean hoped that he would arrive and somehow, by some miracle he would see Lando safe and well, waiting for him.

“Guv, we need you back at the office, you’re the senior ranking officer, DI Halliwell is out of his depth.”

“Screw, Halliwell! Get me to the scene, I need to be there.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean crouched down beside the blood-stained kerbstone and wondered what was going on. If it was meant to be a hit on Griffiths then why was Lando missing? Could Lando be the target? But why him? Lando wasn’t even supposed to be with Griffiths this morning, it had been a last minute decision. Shit! That meant they could have been after him.

Standing he walked over to the abandoned car and looked inside. Lando’s jacket – he recognised it at once – was thrown carelessly on the back seat. A familiar flap of black leather lay on top of the jacket. When Sean turned it over Lando’s face stared back at him. Bloody hell! Lando hadn’t gone anywhere under his own steam, he wouldn’t leave his warrant card lying around. It looked like the bastards had used it to check his identity. So could it have been Lando they wanted after all? Surely that meant he was still alive? At least for now?

There were too many unanswered questions, Sean felt numb and his mind felt like cold porridge. He took another look around the scene and realised that Dave had been right and that he would do more good running the investigation. 

He vowed there and then to move heaven and earth to find Lando – whatever it cost.


	9. Chapter 9

Sean opened the squad room door and was greeted by scenes of chaos. Walking into the room, Sean saw DI Halliwell standing in the middle of the biggest group of men, everyone was shouting. Ringing phones added to cacophony.

As the men noticed Sean they fell silent until even Halliwell realised that something had changed. Miraculously, even the phones stopped ringing.

Sean waited, letting the silence draw out for a few seconds before he began to speak, “Right. I want all of you to calm down and start acting like trained coppers. The guv’nor and Frank are dead and one of our mates is missing. We are going kick over rocks until we find Lando and the bastards who took him. And, when we find them, they’ll wish they’d never fucked with us.” 

Sean looked around the room, studying the concerned faces, some of them thought Lando was dead too – he could tell. Pain surged across his chest and he forced it down, he wasn’t going to even consider that. Until he saw the fucking body he would continue to believe that Lando was alive and that they would find him and bring him home.

“Okay, all of you get out there, find me some answers. Some of you concentrate on the car that was abandoned at the scene. Dave you get me the team watching O’Donnell, I want to know everything he’s done today. I don’t for a single second think he would have got his hands dirty in the snatch; he’s too clever for that. The rest of you, check out every property owned by O’Donnell or his family. Just get me information. I don’t care how you do it!”

Halliwell was staring at Sean, a look of disbelief on his face. Fuck Sean didn’t have time for this! “What’s crawled up your arse now?” 

“You can’t just send them out like that. You’ve as good as told them they have free rein to do what they like to get answers. We’re going to be inundated with complaints.”

“Complaints? My DS is out there somewhere, probably hurt, and you are worrying about fucking complaints?” Sean took a deep breath to try to calm himself but it didn’t work. Shit! Halliwell was a complete waste of space. “If I don’t get complaints then those wankers aren’t doing their job properly! I want to piss them off, ‘cos that way the ones not involved in Lando’s kidnapping are going to be hassled and their businesses are going to suffer and then…” 

Sean poked Halliwell’s sternum with his finger, 

“Then… maybe the bastards who aren’t involved…” 

Poke. 

“But who know something…” 

Poke. 

“Will spill to avoid more interruption to their activities.”

“Yes I can see that, but…”

Sean grabbed the other man by his shirtfront and dragged him in close. Speaking softly so that only they could hear he said, “Just don’t get in my way, prick. If anything happens to Lando because you interfered, in any way, your life will not be worth a brass farthing. He’s worth three of you as a copper and as a mate.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A day had passed since the kidnapping with no word and as much as he wanted to be out searching, Sean knew he had to be here to co-ordinate the efforts to find Lando. He had already resisted one attempt by those upstairs to put the deputy commissioner in charge, claiming his better knowledge of the patch and the main players. If he left the hub of activity, Halliwell would lose his bottle and they could wave goodbye to any chance of getting Lando back alive.

When the phone on his desk rang he pushed the button to put the caller on the speaker phone, “What?”

“Would I be talking to Detective Inspector Bean?”

There was something familiar about the voice but Sean had too much else on his mind to bother to think too much about that, “Yeah, who’s asking?”

“You don’t recognise me?”

“No.”

“Now you’ve hurt me feelings, lad. Up till now I was of the impression that you had a great interest in me and mine.” 

The voice still sounded genial but Sean caught traces of a darker undertone, almost as though the joviality was forced. But he didn’t have time for this… “I’m busy. Get to the point or piss off.”

There was silence for a moment and Sean fully expected to hear the buzz of the dialling tone to show that the caller had hung up.

“If you know what’s good for you you’ll be polite when you talk to me.” 

There was an unspoken menace in the voice now. Sean resisted the urge to rub at the chills on the back of his neck. Part of him registered that there was now absolute silence in the squad room. He would have sworn that even Halliwell was holding his breath. “Why?”

“Because I have what you’re looking for.”

“What?” Then the penny dropped and suddenly Sean’s mouth was so dry he could barely speak. At the same time he gestured to Halliwell to start a trace on the caller. “You’re Brian O’Donnell.”

“Took you long enough.” O’Donnell sounded rougher, more on edge. “Orlando Bloom – nice name that, it suits him, he’s a good looking lad – at least for now.”

Sean controlled his voice with effort, “When you’re caught they’ll put you inside and throw the key away. Unless of course I get to you first.”

“You’ll have to find me, Sean. You don’t mind if I call you Sean, do you? I’ve spent some time learning about you and I feel that I know you.”

Sean played for time; he had to keep the bastard talking. “Why did you do it? What do you hope to gain by killing two men and kidnapping another?”

“Gain? Isn’t it obvious? I never dreamt I would have to spell it out for you, Sean. What I want is revenge.”

“Revenge?”

“Yes, revenge for Jimmy.”

“Look, O’Donnell, just let Lando go and we can talk about what happened to Jimmy.”

“No! There’s been enough talking. An O’Donnell will never get a fair hearing. You and your men killed Jimmy, so you and your men are going to suffer the consequences.” O’Donnell’s voice had changed so much it was now barely recognisable in its savagery.  
Jesus Christ! Lando was in the hands of a card carrying nutter!

“Listen, Sean, and listen very carefully. If you aren’t tracing this call then I seriously underestimated you, so I know I don’t have much more time to chat. If you don’t do as I want then your boy is going to die hard and slow. By the end he’ll be begging me to finish it for him.”

“But –“

“No! No more time for talking, just listen! I want you to meet me. Five o’clock in the shopping centre at the Elephant and Castle. Walk along the main drag between the shops and I’ll find you.”

Sean looked over at Halliwell who was shaking his head. Fuck! They still hadn’t made the trace!

“What if I can’t get there in time?” Sean looked at his watch it was nearly four already.

Sean heard a sigh from the other end of the phone line.

“You’ll get there and you’ll come alone. And just in case you are thinking of a double cross, listen carefully. This is to keep you honest.”

Sean heard a scream of agony. The sound rose into a shriek and then died away until all he could hear were choked sobs. 

“No!” Sean yelled, his fingers clenching so hard on the edge of his desk he was surprised it didn’t splinter into matchsticks. “No more. Leave him alone. I’ll be there.”

The line went dead and Sean had to swallow hard to stop himself from being sick. He didn’t want to think what they must have done to cause Lando to make a sound like that. He looked around the room. The faces staring back at him all reflected how he felt.

Sean lowered the receiver gently into the cradle of the phone as Halliwell came over to him, “What are you planning to do, Sean?”

“What the fuck do you think I’m going to do?” He didn’t believe this cretin, “I’m going to meet O’Donnell.”


	10. Chapter 10

Sean walked into the shopping centre through glass panelled doors that were so grimy they were practically opaque. His instructions had been to stay on the ground floor of the mall until he was contacted but he couldn’t stay still. The awful sounds he had heard over the phone, sounds he was absolutely certain had come from Lando, haunted him. 

After he had ended the call with O’Donnell and had looked around the squad room, he saw pinched white faces and eyes that refused to meet his. Now that they all knew that Brian O’Donnell was behind the hit on the guv’nor and Lando’s disappearance, they were blaming him and his obsession with putting O’Donnell behind bars. He knew it.

For once the wanker, Halliwell, had tried to stand up to him, refusing to co-ordinate the observation team on Sean unless he wore a wire. Sean might be willing to walk into the lion’s den to meet Brian but he wasn’t stupid enough to risk Lando by wearing a bug. He also wasn’t trusting enough to go to the meet without backup. Brian O’Donnell was a treacherous snake and Sean wouldn’t trust him as far as he could bloody throw him. 

They had compromised in the end by having two men inside the centre who would give him space but keep tabs on him. Four cars were stationed outside the centre covering the exits. Their sketchy plan was to follow Brian back to his lair after the meeting and free Lando.

He’d finished another circuit of the ground floor before he realised that he’d noticed none of it. It was no use, he couldn’t think about anything but Lando and what state he might be in. He’d convinced himself that he was still alive; Brian would want to use him to taunt Sean, so he wouldn’t kill him just yet.

A frantic look from the familiar face of one of his minders, as he walked past, made Sean stop in his tracks. Shit! He had to pull himself together or he was going to be a sitting duck for whatever Brian had in mind. 

An announcement warning shoppers that the centre would close in fifteen minutes came over the loudspeaker system and Sean realised with a start that fifteen minutes had passed and it was a quarter past five. Oh fuck! They were fifteen minutes late in contacting him did that mean something had happened to Lando? Or was Brian just drawing it out? When Sean got hold of that bastard he was going to kill him with his bare hands.

As the next few minutes ticked away Sean saw that more and more of the shoppers crowding the centre were heading for the exits. Walking the opposite direction was like a salmon trying to swim upstream. The down side of that analogy wasn’t lost on Sean. Salmon only swim upstream to spawn and die.

Sean stopped outside a small sports shop and looked around surreptitiously for his minders. He spotted them way back, struggling through the crowd. His attention elsewhere, Sean didn’t react when two men came up beside him, grabbed him by the arms and hustled him into the sports shop. When he finally got his head together and tried to struggle something hard slammed into the side of his head, leaving him dazed. In less than twenty seconds they were pulling him out of the rear delivery doors of the shop. They went straight off the loading bay and into the back of a blue transit van. Once he was face down in the back of the van, his arms were forced behind his back and he felt the snap of cuffs on his wrists. Dark material was forced over his head blinding him. He tried again to fight back but a couple of kicks to his ribs and kidneys soon discouraged him.

He felt the van begin to move and jumped when hands began to pat him down for a wire, making him relieved he had resisted Halliwell’s suggestion. Even so, he knew that there was no way that his minders were going figure out what had happened soon enough to organise an intercept. 

Now they were well and truly fucked!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean spent most of the trip trying to remember what he’d learnt in the counter-terrorism training he’d had at the beginning of the year. Those upstairs had decided that everyone should do the training even though the Sweeney didn’t have much to do with the IRA. That was Special Branch’s job. After seeing the carnage in Hyde Park and Regents Park earlier that summer, Sean was glad he didn’t.

Okay, concentrate on the training… Staying calm was the only bloody thing he could think of and his body wasn’t co-operating one little bit. His heart was pounding so hard he was practically deafened by it. He also knew he was breathing faster. The lack of oxygen, caused by the bag over his head, was making him light headed. 

He felt the van stop again but then it moved in reverse. Shit! They must have reached wherever they were going. He had no idea of how long they had been going and no idea of how far they had travelled. Hell, they could have been travelling in circles for all he knew.

The van finally stopped and then the engine died. There was the loud bang of shutters being pulled closed and Sean swallowed heavily, this was it, time to face some demons. 

Footsteps sounded near his head and he expected to be dragged to his feet but before that happened he felt his wrist watch being removed. Obviously his captors wanted to keep him disoriented. He almost laughed – that was a bloody waste of time – right now Sean could barely tell his arse from his elbow.

He heard the van doors open, though there was no difference in the amount of light he could discern through the closely woven fabric of the bag. Hands were tucked under his arms and he was lifted roughly to his feet and pulled forward. 

Concentrating on sound, he tried to work out where he was and where he was being taken. The hollow echoing sounds from their steps told him that he was in a large building, most likely a warehouse of some sort. The ground under his feet was solid, concrete rather than floorboards. Then the surface changed again, becoming softer and the sudden lack of echo made it feel like he was in a smaller more enclosed space. An office maybe?

Sean was forced to his knees. Yep definitely carpet under him. Suddenly the bag was pulled off over his head and he had to squint against the too bright light. Once his eyes had adjusted, a first glance told him his guess had been right, they were in an office. Looking around he tried to take note of his surroundings. There was a phone on the desk. He could call for help if he got loose. There were three filing cabinets in the room as well as the desk, but little more. He tried to twist to look behind him where he guessed the door was and was cuffed around the ear for his trouble. Obviously there was something in that direction they didn’t want him to see.

He heard the door open and close and then faint footsteps getting closer until they stopped behind him. He didn’t need to be psychic to know that it was Brian standing there. Determined to score whatever points he could in the game of cat and mouse that Brian would want to play, Sean refused to turn and look at the man responsible for the events of the last thirty-six hours. Jesus! Had it all happened in less than two days? 

Eventually the heavy tread moved and as he looked up, Sean could see the face of his nemesis. He noticed the changes in Brian immediately, already looking older and where he had once been fastidious in his appearance, he now looked dirty and unkempt. There was also a light of madness in his eyes that scared Sean.

“Welcome. I’m pleased to finally meet you, Sean.”

Sean didn’t respond – what could he say?

Brian didn’t seem to notice the lack of response. “I have been waiting impatiently for you to join us. I’m afraid the wait was rather uncomfortable for your young DS.”

“Lando?” Sean couldn’t stop his instinctive reply.

Brian reached behind him and pulled a straight-backed chair over. He sat and looked at Sean curiously, “Lando? Oh yes I see, short for Orlando. Probably better in his line of work, he’d be taken more seriously, wouldn’t you say?” Brian looked thoughtful, “Orlando… Unusual name that. Is he a queer, Sean? He’s pretty enough.”

Sean wasn’t sure how to respond. What could he say? 

Brian lifted his hand and before Sean could figure out what it meant, a foot connected with his elbow. Sean couldn’t help the involuntary groan of pain as he fell forwards, landing on his face because his hands were still cuffed at his back. The whole of his left arm between the elbow and his fingers was numb.

Brian shifted forwards and helped Sean back to his knees. He kept his hand under Sean’s chin, forcing him to meet his eyes. “That was a warning, Sean, when I ask a question, I expect an answer!”

When he didn’t reply straight away, Sean saw Brian’s hand rise again and he blurted out, “No.”

“No what?”

“No, he’s straight.” Such a simple statement, but it compounded Sean’s sense of betrayal.

Brian nodded, “Thank you. That wasn’t so difficult now, was it?”

Sean shifted a little; his knees already beginning to protest.

“Do you know why you’re here?” 

Sean decided on a straight answer, he needed to see that Lando was still alive and the only way that was going to happen now was for him to co-operate. “You said it was revenge.”

“Yes, revenge.” Brian smiled, the sight chilling Sean to the bone, “Have you ever heard the term vendetta?”

Sean nodded, “Yeah.”

“That’s what we have here, Sean, a vendetta. I hold you responsible for Jimmy’s death. In return, I am going to destroy someone close to you. And you’re going to watch.”

“No! Please!” Sean tried to crawl closer to Brian, he knew he was playing into the man’s hands but Sean couldn’t just sit there and let Lando endure for something that was down to him. “You want me to suffer so let him go and do what you want to me.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Brian stood abruptly, another hideous smile plastered on his face, “Let’s go and see how the lad is, shall we?”

Hands grabbed Sean under the arms again and pulled him to his feet, turning him roughly until he faced the door to the office. Next to the door was a small window. Through the window, Sean could just make out a figure suspended from the warehouse ceiling. 

Stumbling slightly, Sean followed Brian into the storage area. If it hadn’t been for the supporting hands Sean knew his knees would have buckled before he covered half the distance. As he got closer he noticed details, details he really didn’t want to see. Chains hung from a beam in the roof and were looped through handcuffs around Lando’s wrists. A rope noose hung alongside the chains.

Lando’s head was down between his arms, his hair covering his face. A shredded shirt barely covered his torso and there were cuts and bruises covering every square inch of exposed skin. Bloody tatters of shirt were stuck to the cuts and more blood had soaked into the waistband of his trousers. A small consolation was that, now that he was closer, Sean could see the erratic rise and fall of his chest. 

Brian didn’t seem to be in the least affected by the sight. He circled around behind Lando and put one hand into his hair, “Look at him, Sean. Have a good look. This is what a vendetta looks like.” Brian pulled Lando’s head up so that Sean could see his face.

Sean did as he was told, feeling sick. Blood matted Lando’s hair and had dried to the side of his face, covering one eye completely. 

Brian started speaking again, “Look at his body, Sean. You see where I had to use a knife on him? I know you heard how he screamed when I did that.”

Sean saw a bloody patch on Lando’s side, about two inches wide and four inches long and realised that the skin there had been peeled away. Jesus! That must have been the scream he’d heard during the phone call. He swayed as nausea overwhelmed him, then he noticed the rope marks around Lando’s neck and he realised why the noose was there. Brian’d had him suspended with the rope around his neck so that every time he lost his footing he would choke. The noose was hanging free now because Lando was out cold and Brian wasn’t ready for him to die just yet.

Brian grinned and turned Lando’s limp body making sure that Sean had a clear view, “Take a good look, Sean. Not so pretty now is he? That’s all down to you.”

Without a thought for the consequences Sean lunged at Brian, “You bastard! I’m gonna fucking kill you.”

Before he could connect, he was thrown down on the ground and Sean’s existence descended into a world of pain as boots connected with his chest, back, arms and hands. When they finally finished, he was rolled into a retching ball of misery but he couldn’t feel sorry for himself. How much more had Lando endured?

The cuffs around his wrists were unlocked and then re-fastened in front of him before he was dragged across the floor of the warehouse. A door opened and he was thrown inside, landing hard on the solid ground. The door slammed shut with a metallic clang and he was left in the dark. After a few minutes to pull himself together, Sean began exploring his prison. It didn’t take long. He was locked in a glorified cupboard. It wasn’t long enough for him to lay full length. If he sat with his back propped against one of the walls his feet touched the opposite wall. And he could reach both side walls just by turning his body from side to side, so it was three feet wide, max.

With nothing better to do and to keep his mind off what might be happening outside, Sean examined himself for damage but other than some bruising it didn’t appear as though anything was broken. Hearing vague noises, Sean shuffled forward on his knees and tried to press an ear to the door. It was thick so that he couldn’t make out what exactly was being said but he could recognise the sound of raised voices. He strained to hear something, anything.

A scream torn from a throat already raw from screaming echoed around his prison. Somehow Sean found himself on his feet hammering on the door with his bound hands shouting and begging them to stop. As he expected, they didn’t pay any attention so finally Sean slumped back onto the ground. 

He wasn’t sure how much later it was when the door opened. Blinded by the glare, it took Sean a moment to see the two men silhouetted at the doorway, a figure was slumped between them. Without a word they shoved the body towards him and slammed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you know, I've got a new story in the [Survival of the Fittest Universe ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/775848)which I am going to start posting soon!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some truths are revealed...

Fumbling in the darkness Sean managed to catch the unresponsive form before it hit the ground. Lando lay like a dead weight in his arms. JesusfuckingChrist! He could see fuck all! What was he supposed to do now? 

Think, you prat! What’s the first thing to do? Okay, a pulse. He didn’t need to see to find a pulse. With trembling hands he managed to reach the side of Lando’s neck and was relieved when his shaking fingers felt the weak beat.

What next? Maybe try to make him more comfortable? 

Moving Lando’s inert body was difficult but finally, Sean had him settled lying between his legs, his back resting against Sean’s chest. Unfortunately, then Sean couldn’t figure out what to do with his own hands. Having his wrists fastened together meant he had to rest his arms on Lando somehow but when Sean remembered the raw wounds on his chest he couldn’t bring himself to let any pressure fall on his lover’s injuries. In the end he let his arms hang over Lando’s shoulders and around his neck, angling his hands so that they rested to one side away from the damage. The position also meant that Sean could feel the way Lan’s chest hitched with every breath he inhaled.

Time passed slowly. Blinded by the total darkness, the sound of Lando’s breathing was mesmerising. It became his sole focus, and every time it faltered Sean found himself holding his breath waiting anxiously for the painful sound to continue. 

He lost all track of time. He knew he must have been in the same position for hours as his arse was completely numb and his arms had long since gone to sleep. Lando’s body, where he lay against Sean’s chest, held the heat of a furnace. Sean could feel his own shirt, wet with sweat, sticking to him, but he didn’t want to move in case he disturbed the injured man. Sean wasn’t sure if Lan was unconscious or just sleeping but either way had to be better than being awake and in pain. 

Almost as soon as the thought had crossed his mind Lando shifted in his arms, a low groan escaping from him. “Shhh, it’s okay. I’ve got you.” Sean shook his head at that inane comment. He only hoped that Lando was too out of it to realise that Sean was absolutely fucked too.

“Sean?” His voice was almost unrecognisable.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“How…?”

“Shhh, don’t talk. They grabbed me a couple of hours ago.” He vowed not to mention that Lando had been the bait to get him to the meet. He was going to take full responsibility for that.

Lando moved again and began coughing. It was a low hacking sound that seemed to go on endlessly. Helpless, Sean waited for it to end, holding on as Lando struggled to breathe. Finally it was over and Lando collapsed against him once again. 

Shit! He really needed a doctor and Sean was completely at a loss of how to get him to one.

“Where are we, Sean?” the words were whispered and faint.

“Not a clue, they brought me here in the back of a van with a bag over my head.”

“Yeah, me too.” Sean felt Lando nod, “Does anyone know where we are?”

Sean wasn’t sure how much to say. He honestly didn’t think Halliwell’s men would have been able to react in time to follow, but he didn’t want to destroy any hope that Lando might be hanging onto. “I think so, I had backup and they will have followed me which means they could be here any time.”

“Okay.” Lando moved slightly and Sean heard him groan.

“You okay?” Sean wanted to smack himself round the head, “Sorry, stupid question…”

“It’s okay. But just so’s y’know, I feel like shit.” 

“Kinda worked that one out for myself, mate.” Sean wished it was light enough for him to see, he needed to get a better idea of Lando’s injuries. “What’s the damage? Can you tell?” 

Lando cleared his throat and spat, “Think some ribs are broken, can taste blood… Know I’m going to be pissing blood for at least a fortnight…”

“We need to get you to a doctor.”

He heard a snort from Lando and realised he must have said the last thought aloud.

“Yeah right…” Lando fidgeted again. “Uhh… Sean?”

“What?”

“Need to say some things... In case – “

“–No! I don’t want to hear it!” Sean’s hissed response was ragged even to his own ears. He couldn’t allow himself to consider that Lando wouldn’t come out of this alive.

“But…”

“We’re going to get out of here, I bloody know it. You have to stick around so you can call me an obsessive cunt and tell me that it was my fault we got in this mess.”

“Wasn’t what –“

Lando broke off as he started coughing again. Sean’s stomach clenched and he felt helpless. There was nothing to do except wait until the spasm had passed. Weaker than before Lando slumped against him, Sean could feel his chest rising and falling in short gasped breaths as he tried to make up the lost oxygen his body needed.

“Shh… Take your time.”

“Hurts…” His voice was fainter now and he was almost panting between each word but he continued. “Not going to say about O’Donnell.”

Sean had never felt so useless in his entire fucking life, “You shouldn’t talk. It’s taking too much out of you.”

“Need to… Have to say this.” He struggled in Sean’s arms.

“If you won’t bloody rest you’ll have to spit it out then.” Sean spoke softly, knowing Lando would understand and interpret his seeming exasperation in the right way.

Lando lifted his head and leant it back against Sean’s shoulder, his voice coming from just below Sean’s ear, “Love you…”

Sean felt something soft touch his jaw before Lando slumped down into his arms and didn’t move again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um yes a cliffhanger...


	12. Chapter 12

“Fuck! Don’t do this to me ya bastard. Please.” Sean choked out the words as he tried to understand what had just happened. Lando had said he loved him and then collapsed. Now he was limp in his arms, nothing, no sound no movement of his chest to indicate he was still alive.

“Lan?” Desperate to get a response, he shook Lando almost crying in relief when a gasping moan was forced out of the injured man. He was still alive but Sean had no clue what he could do to help him if he couldn’t get them out of this fucking hole.

Time moved slowly. Mesmerised once more by the sound of Lando’s faltering breaths, Sean found himself muttering prayers under his breath that Halliwell’s men had managed to tail the van and that help would come soon. He knew he was clutching at straws but right now he didn’t know what else to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of the door screeching open made Sean jump and dragged a whimper out of Lan. Light streamed in through the doorway and Sean was forced to squint.

“Bring them.” It was O’Donnell’s voice.

Fuck it! Nothing worked! He’d been sitting in one position for too long and could do nothing to resist as two men pulled Lan away from him. Two more grabbed Sean and hauled him up too.

Circulation returned to his arms and legs, leaving Sean in agony but he ignored it, Lan was a whole lot worse off. Sean prayed that he was so deeply unconscious, that he couldn’t feel anything because he had a bad feeling that, as far as Brian was concerned, Lan’s time and usefulness had run out.

Back once more in the main warehouse, Sean’s escort pushed him over to the wall and shoved him down onto the floor, standing guard on either side of him. His eyes were still adjusting but he could make out Brian O’Donnell standing about ten feet away, a pistol in one hand. Bollocks! Unless a miracle by the name of DI Halliwell and his team turned up they were finished.

The men pulled Lan over to Brian, letting him fall to his knees and then slump slowly onto his side, facing away from Sean. Brian moved around behind Lan and tangled his fingers into his hair, dragging him into a kneeling position. Sean could see the side of Lan’s face, there was fresh blood on his chin and his eyes were closed.

“No!” Sean had to do something. “Stop! Please! Let him go, he didn’t do anything to Jimmy. Blame me if you have to blame anyone.”

Brian turned his head and looked at Sean, “Blame? This isn’t about blame. This is about revenge. I told you that. I want you to suffer. Just like I did when you bastards killed Jimmy.” Sean saw the muscles in Brian’s arm tense as he shook Lan, who hung limply from his hand. “Your man here’s not going to be fun much longer so I thought that we’d finish with him, before my lads start with you. This way I know you’ll be fully aware of his last moments.”

He felt as though he was going to be sick, Sean knew that watching Brian murder Lan would send him mad. “Please don’t do this…” Sean shuffled onto his knees, “I’ll beg if you want. I’ll do anything if you let him go.”

A sly smile appeared on Brian’s face, “I tell you what. We can make a deal. If your man here can get to the door under his own steam in the next sixty seconds, I’ll let him go. How’s that?”

“You bastard! You know he can’t get there on his own.”

“Well then I suppose the deal’s off. I’ll just have to put him out of his misery instead.” Brian looked thoughtful, “I have to tell you that this wasn’t exactly what I had planned for him.”   
Playing for time, Sean said, “What did you have planned then?”

“Well, just to make him feel like Jimmy must have done, I was going to get the lads to put the noose around his neck and pull on the rope until he was barely an inch off the floor. I figured that he’d be able to stand on his toes for a time but then eventually, he’d slip.” Brian grinned, “Of course I’d have made sure you had the best view.

“It’s beside the point now, my lads got too enthusiastic, so I’m going to have to finish him off myself. Don’t worry though, I’ll make sure you get to find out what it would have been like for him, first hand.” Brian turned and lifted the gun to rest against Lan’s head.

Time seemed to move in slow motion. With senses that were somehow enhanced, Sean could see Brian’s finger tighten on the trigger. He didn’t think before diving across the room. As he hit Brian with everything he had, he heard the sound of a shot. It was so loud it made his ears ring. 

Lan shuddered and fell. 

Someone punched him in the back and, off balance, Sean staggered. Hitting the wall he twisted and slid down it. Jesus, the bastard packed a mean punch! 

His brain working in slow motion, it took an age for Sean to work out what to do next. It was only when he tried to move that he realised he’d taken more than a punch. Looking down, he saw the bloody exit hole in his side and the blood pulsing out of the wound, barely registering that he’d been shot before he began to shiver. Christ! He was losing blood too fast and going into shock…

The pain in his side was making it hard to breathe. Where was Brian? And Lan. He had to get to Lan… Who was lying pale and still less than ten feet away in a puddle of red. Sean wanted to scream; he’d been too late…

His world tilted and Sean felt himself lifted and shaken by a hand around his throat. The pain from his side flamed white hot and his vision went dark. When he managed to open his eyes, Brian O’Donnell’s spittle flecked face was jammed against his own. He was shouting something – Sean could see his mouth opening and closing but it was as though the sound had been switched off.

Then Brian and his support disappeared and Sean collapsed, his view abruptly limited to floor level. Across the room he could see a group of men gathered around Lan, preventing him from seeing him. He watched their arms waving as his vision tunnelled, and the light dimmed. Blinking hopelessly, he tried to clear his eyes as the pain in his side increased, burning him with its intensity. Sean curled in on himself, barely conscious. 

Then there were hands on him forcing him to uncurl. Familiar faces were there, their voices telling him to hold on, that help was coming. That he was going to be okay. He wondered why they bothered… He wondered if there was a point without Lan…

At the end of his strength, he let himself fall into the darkness hovering around the edge of his awareness…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear another cliffhanger - sorry...


	13. Chapter 13

Hearing someone moving around his hospital room, picking up things and then, several moments later, putting them down, Sean feigned sleep. Maybe if he kept his eyes closed for long enough, whoever it was would go away. 

If only he could find a way to go to sleep and never wake again. In his dreams, Lan would be warm and alive and know that Sean returned his love, instead of lying cold and bloody on a grubby warehouse floor. 

There was more noise from his visitor and Sean was tempted to sit up and scream at them to go away and leave him alone with his misery. But he dare not. He couldn’t afford to reveal his anguish at Lando’s death. All he could show was suitable sorrow for the passing of one of his team. Not the gut wrenching, paralysing loss he was really feeling. 

Eventually, the visitor spoke, his voice a familiar sound in the otherwise silent room. “It’s me. I’ve worked for you for long enough to understand the way your mind works, you daft bugger, so don’t try to kid me that you’re asleep.” Dave inhaled noisily before he spoke again. “I think I’ve got some idea of what you’re going through so you don’t have to open your eyes. Just hear me out.”

Against his better instincts, Sean found himself listening. But, what could Dave say that would change the past? Nothing was going to bring Lan back.

“Lando’s alive.”

Immediately, Sean’s eyes flickered open and he turned to look at his driver and friend. “What? But I saw…” His voice came out as a croak.

Dave nodded, “The bullet only creased him. A minor wound but it bled like hell and probably saved his life. O’Donnell must have thought he was dead.”

Me too, Sean wanted to scream.

Dave carried on, seemingly oblivious to Sean’s shock. 

“Once they got Lando into hospital, he picked up an infection, which worried everyone for a while. They’ve got him on antibiotics now. It might take a while until he’s back to his old stroppy self but he’ll be fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes you stupid sod, really.” Suddenly, and looking embarrassed, Dave glanced at his watch. “Jesus! Is that the time, I have to be going. I only popped in to see you while the missus was doing the shopping.”

Sean felt the weight of worry he had been carrying fall away. There was still a large chunk of guilt pressing down on him, because if he hadn’t been such an obsessive cunt, determined to bring down Brian O’Donnell at any cost, then none of this would have happened. 

He was so lost in thought that he almost missed Dave leaving. Just as the door was closing behind him, Sean looked up and called out, “Dave!”

His driver stuck his head back around the door frame and looked at him quizzically. “What now?”

“Thanks for letting me know.”

“It’s no bother. The other guys told me to come and let you know about Lando because they thought you’d get better quicker. Working for that stupid wanker Halliwell is driving us all mad and we figured we’d be better off with the bastard we know.”

Smiling broadly, Sean said, “Go on you arse, get out of here. Don’t keep your missus waiting.”

Grinning, Dave closed the door.

Left alone once more, Sean breathed a deep sigh of relief. He’d been given a second chance and he wasn’t going to waste it. As soon as he could get to Lan, he was going to tell him how he felt and that he wanted them to be together, not as fuck buddies but as committed and exclusive lovers. 

Still smiling, Sean lay back against the pillows and started to make plans for the future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an epilogue to go now. If you've enjoyed the story it would be great to know.


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things must change

Lando let the door of the pub swing shut behind him. Shivering in the cold evening air; he wrapped his coat around himself more tightly and began the walk back to his mum’s house. Nearly a month had passed since the raid on Brian O’Donnell’s warehouse and according to the doc he could expect to be back at work, on light duty, in another couple of weeks. During his recovery, he’d discovered that physical scars would heal, given time. What he hadn’t yet come to terms with were the mental scars. 

Something else that would take him a while to come to terms with too was Sean’s absence. Lando hadn’t seen him since telling Sean that he loved him and that hurt. As fuzzy as his time in Brian O’Donnell’s care had become Lando was positive he’d done that. Guys from the squad who had visited him in hospital had said that Sean had been shot but had recovered quickly, but he hadn’t come to visit Lando in hospital.

Oh well there would be enough time to worry about seeing Sean again when he went into the office to clear out his desk. He shrugged, maybe a fresh start was what he needed.

Lando’s steps faltered when he saw a familiar figure walking towards him. Talk of the fucking devil, it couldn’t be… What was he doing here? Stopping to give himself a bit more time to figure out what he was going to say and resisting the temptation to bolt, Lando let Sean come to him.

“Lan. How’re you doing?” 

That’s it, he told himself, let Sean talk first, not that his tongue seemed to want to form any words. Eventually he managed, “I’m fine, but what the fuck are you doing here?”

“I called in and met your mum and she told me where to find you.”

“I didn’t mean that. I’m still being paid to be a detective so I guessed how knew where to find me. I meant why are you here.”

Sean didn’t answer straight away and Lando wondered if he was trying to find the right words to tell him that it was all over between them. 

“I heard about you leaving the Sweeney. I assume that means you got the promotion?”

“Yeah. To be honest, what with everything that happened I’d forgotten I’d taken the promotion board.” Lando couldn’t help the pleased smile that flooded his face. “I’m moving to the Drugs Squad.”

“You don’t want to stick with the Sweeney?”

“Come on, Sean, there’s no way I can. The Sweeney doesn’t need another DI unless you can get promoted into Griffiths’ old job. Mind you, after getting the credit for rescuing us they are just as likely to offer it to that wanker Halliwell and I couldn’t work for him in a million years.”

“They’ll never offer it to me. I’m doing penance for coming after you without proper backup, I’ll probably retire a DI now. Besides, we both know that Halliwell was just lucky. If O’Donnell hadn’t dumped Rita and scared the crap out of her…”

“Yeah. Dave told me that she turned up at the office and spilled everything in exchange for a first class one-way ticket to Chicago.” 

“We’re just lucky that she was scared enough of O’Donnell to take the economy ticket that Halliwell offered.”

Another gust of wind made Lan shiver again and he knew Sean had noticed when he said, “Come on, let’s get you home. Your mum told me she was going out to visit your Gran and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow and I wondered if we could go back to your place and talk?”  
“Do we have anything to talk about?”

“I think so. There’s your new job and – “

“– And the way I told you I loved you?” Lando walked away, “I’d prefer to forget making a fool of myself if you don’t mind.” He kept on walking. Leaving Sean like this felt like it hurt more than anything O’Donnell had done to him, but he’d had four weeks of keeping his feelings buried and he didn’t want to do it anymore.

As he had expected, Sean’s anger flared, “Fuck it! Lando! Don’t walk away from me. I need to talk to you.”

“What about, Sean? You want to tell me why you didn’t come and visit me in the hospital? Christ I was stuck in there for long enough trying to get rid of the bloody infection I picked up. Or did me admitting how I felt scare you so much that it’s taken four bloody weeks for you to get the bottle to tell me to piss off?”

Sean moved closer and his voice grew softer, “No. That was the last thing on my mind. I want to explain why I didn’t visit you.”

“So?” Lando tried to hold onto the anger, he wanted to make Sean hurt as much as he’d been hurting.

“Lan…” Sean swallowed hard, “Jesus this is difficult. I thought you were dead. I saw you lying there covered in blood and thought I’d screwed up and that O’Donnell had killed you. Then, once I came round from the surgery and could stay awake for longer than five minutes, I didn’t want to talk about you to anyone, because if no one told me you were dead then I could pretend it wasn’t true. I knew if anyone mentioned you I’d fall apart so I purposely didn’t ask. It wasn’t until three fucking days later when Dave told me in passing that you were seriously ill that I knew you were still alive.” Sean rubbed at his face, “Maybe the bugger has more insight than I realised and he guessed something was going on between us.”

Lando could see the truth of Sean’s words written clearly across his face and all at once his anger drained away. “God I’m a prick. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Lan, you didn’t know. Christ! We weren’t even in the same bloody hospital.”

“I thought I’d scared you away.”

“You didn’t. I scared myself. I felt so fucking guilty. It was my fault you were taken. If I hadn’t been so bloody obsessed with nicking Brian O’Donnell it would never have happened.” Sean shook his head, smiling faintly, “To cap it all I heard that after Brian died one of his people fingered the Hamiltons for the job and they were picked up last week.”

“Yeah I heard that too.” Lan couldn’t resist some gloating, “They were my favourites you remember?”

“Yes I remember.” Sean shivered, “So, can we go somewhere warm and talk some more now that you don’t feel like ripping my nuts off?”

Lando had to grin at that image. As if… He nodded, “I think that can be arranged.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sean threw his jacket over a chair and paced while Lan sat and put two full mugs down on the table in front of the sofa. True to her word Sonia Bloom was not at home and that made Sean wonder just how much she knew about him and her son.

Lan sat looking expectantly at him.

Sean took a deep breath, this was his moment to tell Lan everything and he wasn’t going to bottle out now. “Okay, back in that cell, when you said that you loved me it started me thinking. Knowing I might lose you scared me. So, even though I know it’s going to be impossible to keep our jobs if it comes out, I want us to be together.” Sean grinned, “And I want this even though you fart in bed and can look really rough in the morning, especially when you’ve had a skin full the night before.”

Lan frowned, “That’s supposed to be encouraging?”

Sean nodded, coming to sit facing Lan, “Yeah and so’s this.” Sean moved his hands until they framed Lan’s face, his thumbs tracing over prominent cheekbones. Slowly, Sean pulled him closer and placed a soft kiss on his mouth. When Lan didn’t push him away, Sean deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into Lan’s mouth and finding himself instantly addicted to his lover’s unique taste.

Sean felt Lando’s arms slide around his waist, pulling him even closer and, as his tongue joined the dance and the kiss grew even more heated, Sean began to feel light-headed. Eventually Sean had the presence of mind to move away, breaking the lip lock that was threatening to make him pass out. “Jesus! That was worth waiting for.”

He felt Lan’s body shake and realised he was laughing. 

“What’s so bloody funny?” 

“You.” Lan’s hand moved along the side of Sean’s face in a gentle caress.

“Me?”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever have to worry about you getting all sloppy on me.”

Sean struck a pose, “Nah, it’d ruin me image as a manly northern git.”

“Okay, you northern git, how about we move this into the bedroom?”

Any blood remaining in the rest of Sean’s body headed south, leaving him with a cock hard enough to drill holes in a plank of wood. “Sounds good to me.” He had a thought, “Is your mum going to mind if I stay over?”

Lando shook his head, “She’s accepted who and what I am for a long time. She knows that it’s up to my sister to provide the grandchildren.” Lando stood and, as he headed up the stairs, called over his shoulder “Besides, I’ve already told her about you.”

Sean jogged to catch up, “You what?”

“I told her about you.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“This is like pulling teeth – if you want me to pull anything else of yours in the near future you’d better tell me what she said.”

“You know I’d forgotten what a romantic you can be, Sean.”

All at once serious, Sean grabbed his hand and pulled him to a halt, Looking into Lan’s eyes he said, “Look I know I don’t show it but I’m different. I was just never sure before that you wanted anything more than a hard, fast fuck.”

Pushing open a door off the hallway, Lando pulled Sean inside a bedroom. “I want everything you are willing to offer. But tonight I’m happy to settle for slow.”

“Christ, that’s a relief.”

“Why?”

“Because to be honest with you, I don’t think either of us are up to hard and fast just yet.”

“That’s okay I’m sure we can work something out.”

Sean dragged Lan nearer so that he could kiss him again, letting his tongue explore. When their lips finally parted he said, “How about, I fuck you long and slow so that you come so hard you pass out?”

Grinning madly, Lando pushed Sean backwards until his knees hit the bed and he collapsed onto it. Following him down until he was crouched over Sean in a vaguely threatening position, “God I like the sound of that. You’re on.”

“You’d better get rid of the clothes then, unless you want me to go all caveman and rip them off.”

Standing and struggling out of his clothes, Lando said, “Maybe next time.”

Sean began to climb off the bed, it was then, when Lan peeled off his shirt and Sean saw the raw, red marks on his torso that the true enormity of what they’d survived hit him. He felt his arousal begin to fade as he reached out, “Oh Jesus.”

Lan took his hand, “Don’t, Sean. Don’t think about what might have happened. Just think about us here now together and the future.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Afterwards, Sean would never be able to figure out how they managed to finish undressing each other without stopping kissing. Moving slowly, they’d stroked and explored each other’s body until, aroused almost beyond endurance, Sean had finally pushed into Lan’s heat. 

Slow deliberate strokes had eventually given way to harder faster thrusts until they’d come together and Sean was convinced that the morning papers would be reporting an unexpected earthquake in the London area. 

Now, lying there with Lan sprawled across his chest, his sleepy breaths snuffling against his ear, Sean knew peace because he had everything he could ever want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the end of Futile Obsession, the story that started this whole saga. If you enjoyed reading this part of the series, I'd love to know about it and I'm always happy to receive constructive criticism.


End file.
